Colin Kolles has been quick to reject the recent rumours that have called into question the Hispania Racing Team’s prospects of seeing out its maiden season in F1, insisting that the outfit is operating to a “business as usual” mentality.

Rumours were rife during the Italian Grand Prix weekend that the Murcia-based outfit might not last the season after it had failed to secure the necessary funding to see out the year.

While Kolles admitted that the outfit was not yet generating the sponsorship income he had hoped for, he remained positive about the team’s survival into the 2011 season.

“We had [2011] budget discussions over the Monza weekend and it has been approved,” he said. “And it is business as normal.”

Trying to stress the outfit’s commitment to making a proper first of its first season in the top category, Kolles confirmed that the team had paid the balance of its engine bill to Cosworth, which would surely out forward a strong case that the team is here until season’s end.

The HRT outfit has hade a troubled baptism to F1, firstly with its last-minute management buy-out from Campos Meta, and then a troubled design and construction phase with chassis-builder Dallara that saw both cars being assembled on the Friday of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix weekend.

The team also sidelined regular driver Karun Chandhok in favour of the more heavily backed Sakon Yamamoto, with the Japanese driver doing enough to possibly see out the remainder of the season.

“We will see who will finish the season and who doesn’t finish the season,” Kolles added. “And we will see who will be on the grid next year and who isn’t on the grid next year. I am used to this.

“When I came in after Jordan [with Midland] everybody was saying we are not going to survive. That was through Midland, Spyker and Force India. The team is still here, it is competitive and others, like Toyota, BMW and Honda, who never were questioned that they would be here, aren’t here any more due to financial reasons. So what shall I say to this?”